Ross's army marched on the new grass growing by the river, stepping on gravel and soil, and gradually came to the end of the old gray squirrel fortress.
This was the second time for some of the soldiers in the team to set foot on this road. Compared with that winter war, this spring expedition has actually become a bit more strenuous.
If Rurik had not made certain preparations for the army, the army would have been running out of supplies until now, and would have had to find ways to get food on the spot before continuing to move forward.
All soldiers had a backpack made of linen, stuffed with dried salted fish, pre-made wheat cakes, and even simple oats. These rations generally weighed more than ten pounds.
They were actually carrying heavy packs on their backs, but fortunately they had strong bodies developed through hunting, logging, and paddling, so they had no complaints about becoming "mules of the principality."
This is not the first time that everyone has carried out an expeditionary military operation. The young and old soldiers have reached a consensus on maintaining enough food rations to support long-term battles.
The children, whether they were boys or girls, were all carrying heavy bags and panting to catch up with the team. Some children put their equipment on the carts used to transport heavy weapons, which reduced some physical energy consumption, but the effect was limited after all.
Rurik did not comfort them for their encounter, but instead urged them harshly, forcing them to stop procrastinating.
However, the team's fatigue gradually showed, and they immediately launched an attack under the wooden wall that wanted to reach the target. Obviously this was not a good idea.
"Attacking the city is the last resort. Maybe when the army approaches the city, I should come up with a good way to win."
Rurik walked almost the whole way during the march. He felt his ankles gradually becoming sore. He thought that most of his soldiers were also the same.
Some soldiers of the Russian army wrapped their calves with linen cloth. This leggings technique was not popular among the entire army. Quite a few soldiers didn't even have time to clean their blood-stained coats, and now the blood stains on their coats have turned black.
The image of the army became a bit sloppy. When the soft light of the setting sun shone on the earth, immersed in the tiring sunset were the swaying figures marching along the river.
Rurik kept moving, and Yevlo didn't want to make any suggestions, let alone say goodbye to Arik and his guys who were still moving quickly.
It was getting late, and Jevro finally approached his master: "Sir, it seems that we can't reach the enemy's mountain fortress today. Night is coming, and the brothers are very tired. We..."
"Rest? Of course. But I want to walk again."
"All right."
"Wait a minute." Rurik suddenly ordered: "Go and notify Arik in front, asking him to stop and set up camp when night falls. Run quickly."
"As commanded."
The team of Ross's army was dragged into a long snake formation of nearly three kilometers.
The current Russian army is actually quite weak. Those children who were dragged to the battlefield have seriously overtaxed their insufficient physical fitness due to the previous marches, bloody battles and limited rest. They have become real losers.
On the other hand, the first flag team led by Arik, this group of unruly and amazingly strong men, are still fearless bears, charging tirelessly.
The long snake-like team gradually gathered and formed a camp about 500 meters long on a relatively wide river beach.
Plenty of bonfires were lit, and people who had walked the winding and rugged roads all day could finally sit down and rub their feet.
Beside a huge bonfire, Rurik was busy nibbling dried fish while glancing at whether the wheat in the pottery urn was cooked.
Although Arik was also chewing on the dried fish he had brought with him, he was quite critical of today's march and had his own thoughts.
"Brother, we are moving too slowly. I remember that we rushed to Gray Squirrel Hill Castle in one day."
The parties involved in that war were sitting beside the bonfire, and Mechasta felt very uncomfortable hearing this. Over the years, the defeated and surrendered leader learned the Norse language and could basically hear the communication of the Rus.
Mechasta smiled bitterly and said: "That year, you pulled the sled on the glacier. The road was extremely smooth! It seems to me that the Russian army appeared suddenly, and we were completely unprepared."
These words attracted Aric's attention: "So what you are saying is that the newly arrived Tavastians are not prepared for our attack."
"Maybe. Those guys are stronger than us."
"They will be prepared! They must be prepared." Rurik stared at the flames with an extremely determined attitude.
"Are you on guard? You won't be easily defeated by me. I have suggestions." As he said that, Arik turned to glare at his brother.
"You...are you looking at me like this? Are you afraid that you want to lead a team yourself and demolish that mountain fortress?"
"Why not?"
"You should be careful and follow my large army."
"No! We should appear suddenly and launch a surprise attack." Arik also wanted to give some explanations. After all, he actually expressed his hope to get the first credit in defeating the enemy.
Rurik had to think about his cousin's proposal. He was actually worried that the enemy would flee back the same way and then run away with Xinrou Sayazi. If your army delays further, it will not be good if it comes to nothing in the end.
Many people on the march discovered the traces left by the enemy when they fled, and concluded that the march was correct.
"Okay, you lead the first flag team and fight over there." Rurik sighed a little and finally convinced his brother.
"Okay, let's take a break and start moving right away."
"Huh? Are you so anxious?"
"I'm afraid that the enemy will escape quickly. I want to pursue them lightly and capture the fortress as soon as possible."
Rurik frowned slightly again: "Arriving lightly? Without heavy weapons, the mountain fortress is not easy to fight."
"Yes." Mechasta shouted deliberately: "That is the mountain fortress we built after all. In our battle many years ago, my people at least caused you casualties. If our army rushes to attack, Tavas, who is stronger than me, will The Tia people will..."
"Shut up!" Arik was furious: "You are a defeated general."
Rurik said with a sullen face: "But what he said makes sense."
"It doesn't matter. I just want to appear suddenly and attack by force. Brother, please be optimistic. When your large army arrives, you will see our flag flying on the wooden wall of the mountain fort."
Rurik really couldn't talk about this guy, especially on the issue of war. He knew that even if he was a real duke, he could not obey the orders of the strong men of the First Banner Corps.
The core of the Principality of Rus, the Rus people, are never monolithic internally! Of course the young people admired Rurik, who brought everyone a prosperous life, and also admired Arik, who led everyone in bloody battles.
Many young people are bloodthirsty guys, and sometimes Rurik thinks they are psychopathic.
Simply let this group of guys who are literally not afraid of death fight to the death. In the end, they were all wiped out in previous battles, and the remaining larger group of thriving boys naturally only remained loyal to Duke Ross himself.
Arik didn't know that there was a lot of darkness behind his brother's seemingly straightforward agreement.
Everyone fell asleep in Ross's river beach camp. Biyongni verbally supported Arik's decision to raid. He respected Arik, a fighting madman, and wanted to bring his Balmok brothers to participate. After all, the reality was a merciless slap in the face.
The strong men who boasted their strong bodies and defeated the Balmoks of Northumbria in Britain finally discovered that they were not good at marching long distances in a short time on two legs. Although they have extremely strong endurance, with the combination of long march, little sleep and a big battle, their endurance also has a limit.
Now the location of the camp is not far from the target. After all, everyone walked all day long, and if they persisted a little longer at night, they would arrive at the old Gray Squirrel Hill Fort.
The glory of the first battle vanguard was captured by Arik's First Flag Team. This group of people had the most combat experience in the Principality of Rus, and 40% of them were veterans who had participated in all the Rus' foreign wars in the past five years. They woke up in the final stage of the night.
They threw away most of their supplies and set off with only a few dried fish and leather water bags for drinking water, and light weapons and equipment.
Among the five hundred brothers, there were only more than thirty light crossbowmen seconded from the Shooting Flag Team. Thirty of them were all from Rurik's mercenary guards. There were also more than twenty people who carried short wooden bows made by themselves.
What is quite strange is that they carried a batch of planks that were pieced together, which were "giant anti-arrow shields". Arik needed this to cover his attack.
Arik has a set of siege techniques that will never be reversed. This battle can be regarded as attacking the Gray Squirrel Fortress again. If he repeats his old techniques, he will definitely win quickly!
Soon, the first standard group of attacking Russian warriors encountered the Tavastia Forest Rangers who were stationed in the woods near the mountain fortress.
Vateyala suffered defeat but was determined to hold on. He became cautious and even began to place sentries.
In the dim light of the morning, the sentry spotted the team advancing along the river beach. Feeling that something was wrong, he immediately ran back to the mountain fort.
At that time, Gray Squirrel Hill Castle had become dilapidated due to the war. After it was occupied by Tavastia, it was expanded, especially in that the city defense work was more rigorous.
Why strengthen wooden walls? Digging!
It didn't matter that the earth was dug to strengthen the foundation, a protective trench appeared around the entire mountain fort.
A gate and a small door were built into the mountain fort. The woods near the mountain fort were cut down cleanly, and even the humus layer on the surface was cleaned up.
Why? This naturally expands the defender's line of sight. Secondly, some land has been simply dug up, and there are a few onions that have just been planted in it!
Although the immigrants were forced to evacuate under Watyala's order, they had already started farming before they evacuated, even though the climate in this area was too cold.
The sentries ran back one after another, shouting as they ran.
Their shouts completely broke the tranquility of the morning and ruined Vatyala's last sweet dream.
The entire mountain fortress ended in peace, and all the Tavastian warriors stationed stood up.
Old and young, they guarded the new territory they had just taken with mixed emotions. Now a large number of people holding bows walked up the wooden wall, just like a flock of sparrows covering the branches.
Soon, after walking through the last forest, Arik could fully understand the situation ahead.
"Boss, we're here." A soldier pointed his sword at the exposed mountain fortress.
"Good!" Arik glanced at the sun that was beginning to rise. The morning fog was quickly dissipating, and the hazy figure of the mountain fortress was also flashing.
He was carrying a round shield like a turtle shell, and with his back turned to the brothers behind him, he slowly drew out his swords.
The buzz of drawing swords was simply the most wonderful echo. The brothers of the First Flag Team were overjoyed. We were all lucky enough to fight under the rising sun. Glory was inevitable. This defeated the enemy. Naturally, the brothers had the right to choose the spoils first.
Arik, holding two swords, suddenly walked out of the edge of the forest with more than a dozen brothers and stepped into the open space outside Gray Squirrel Mountain Castle.
Although the situation had undergone some changes, he saw that the overall structure of the mountain fort was still the same.
"Look! Brothers. Look, there are actually a group of turtle doves standing on those wooden walls."
"Our defeated generals actually want to defend the city." Someone shouted disdainfully.
Someone also cautioned: "They are really prepared. If we attack rashly, we will still be injured by arrows. Even if we are all wearing armor, their arrows can still cause trouble when they reach the bottom of the wall."
"It doesn't matter, we are here well prepared. Now follow me up and scare them!"
Arik was really determined to win. He led more than ten people forward and walked more than ten pieces of cloth, and then screamed.
Looking at the mountain fort again, Vatyala stood cautiously on the wall and frowned.
"Are the Russians mocking us? Does anyone know the language of the Varangians?"
Poor Tavastian warriors who had seen the sea for the first time. How could they understand the shouts of the heroes on the sea?
But the behavior of the Russians they saw next, everyone knew that it must be humiliating.
It turned out that Arik deliberately led his brothers to lift up their pants, and to the Tavastians, there was a group of white things in the distance. That turned out to be...
"It's time to humiliate us! Come here! Shoot them!" Vatyala ordered with bared teeth.
Although the distance is relatively far, how can you not fight back after being so humiliated?
Vatyala gathered all the archers on the wooden wall. There were nearly two hundred archers under his command, and there were as many as five thousand arrows.
The weight of a short wooden bow is only about twenty pounds. Thanks to the light arrow it shoots, the arrow can fly a long distance.
There was a whooshing sound in the sky, and Arik hurriedly lifted up his pants. Unexpectedly, one of the unlucky brothers was hit in the buttocks. He knelt down holding the wound, and was dragged back by the brothers' combined efforts.
Who would have thought that the first wounded person in the Russian army appeared, and the injured person was still injured in the buttocks?
This man only had minor flesh wounds. Arik personally pulled out the bone arrow clusters and asked the warrior to stay aside and rest.
The shocked people looked at Arik and suddenly laughed again, which caused more people to giggle.
"Why are you laughing?! Damn it, I really underestimated them."
"It doesn't matter." The first laughing warrior yelled: "The big tree will be chopped down soon. Their arrows are indeed stronger than the Corvin people, but their wooden doors will be knocked open by us. Then the brothers rushed in Killing indiscriminately.”
"Very good." Arik nodded, and in a moment a big tree collapsed, shaking the forest ground.
The Russians seem to be jumping out just for butt humiliation? Vateara felt that his counterattack had severely dampened the spirit of the Russians, and the Tavastian warriors who had fought cowardly cheered for this volley.
There were more than a hundred arrows stuck on the flat ground. In fact, only two arrows took advantage of the wind, and only one of them caused insignificant losses to the Russians.
Vateyala knew that the enemy would not give up. They only appeared as scouts. There must be a large number of enemies hidden in the forest ahead, and the war would inevitably break out today.
"Brothers! Get ready to fight."
He felt the shaking of the earth and sensed the crisis. Soon, Ross's army really left the woods, which shocked all the mountain fort defenders to become alert, and their string-controlling hands trembled.
Arik still held up his two swords, and swung the steel sword in his right hand: "Russians! Let's go!"
More than 20 strong men wearing chainmail and black bear skins tied up with hemp rope and carried a large pine tree that had just been cut down.
Beside him were a group of people holding shields, and in front were more than thirty warriors holding large arrow-proof shields. A large number of ordinary warriors advanced with shields, and those holding bows and crossbows followed closely behind the shield bearers.
Arik's men formed a large formation that looked loose but was actually guarding the "pine battering ram" and began to attack in the face of arrows thrown by the enemy.
Although as soon as the battle started, Arik suddenly noticed that this group of enemies suddenly became braver. He felt it was a little difficult, but he was also satisfied that he could fight enemies who showed their true strength.
Because this kind of battle will make everyone's victory glorious!
